Drop B ?

[dalejones]

Hi folks, I'm doing a setup on a 5 string and the customer told me he wanted it tuned to drop B he wasn't 100% on what this tuning was he just knows it is drop B. Can anyone tell me how I should have his strings tuned ?

ex. B-E-A-D-G ...

[clmayhew]

I believe it would be: B-F♯-B-E-G♯ if it's drop B. I believe standard B is B-E-A-D-G.

[KsToaDangr]

a friend of mine tunes one of his guitars b-e-a-d-g-b, and called it drop b. no clue why it wouldn't be b-e-a-d-g for a 5 string bass.

[dalejones]

I'll do B-F♯-B-E-G♯ that sounds like it might be it. I know he plays in a metal band all using drop tunings and it for sure isn't BEADG.

[Eater_of_Birds]

usually drop would mean B-F#-B-E-Ab for my money, certainly with guitars so you have the bottom string one step lower than the rest (comes in handy for one finger power chords and just having a lower range without changing all the strings down that many steps).

slightly confusing for a 5er as the bottom string is B anyway, but this way the rest of the strings will probly be lower gauges than usual? i have a similar question ill be posting when getting a new bass for a band in drop Bb i sometimes play with.

regardless when someone says drop this usually means the bottom string is an extra step lower so the first and third strings are octaves of each other (ie drop C tuning C-G-C-F-A-D).

the guy should really be a bit more sure about what the tuning is, for drop i imagine a custom set of strings from somewhere like circle K might be in order, or a single heavier string for the low C.

my bass is in drop C currently using a 110-85-70-50 set i think, and the bottom C is much looser as its the extra step lower.

[Joospocks]

Originally Posted by KsToaDangr

a friend of mine tunes one of his guitars b-e-a-d-g-b, and called it drop b. no clue why it wouldn't be b-e-a-d-g for a 5 string bass.

I think "drop" tunings are most commonly referring to the tunings that drop the lowest string an extra step so there is a 5th between it and the next string. For example, drop D on guitar is usually used to refer to DADGBE whereas DGCFAD is often called "standard D" or "standard down one step".

[Eater_of_Birds]

Originally Posted by dalejones

I'll do B-F♯-B-E-G♯ that sounds like it might be it. I know he plays in a metal band all using drop tunings and it for sure isn't BEADG.

that sounds about right man

[okcrum]

I might be wrong, but isn't drop B bass tuning just C# standard tuning with the lowest string dropped from C# to B?

[Chasarms]

Originally Posted by clmayhew

I believe it would be: B-F♯-B-E-G♯ if it's drop B. I believe standard B is B-E-A-D-G.

I'd call the guy back before I messed with it.

The above is actually a higher tension tuning than standed as everything is up a full step except the B. If you set it up like that, and he wants standard or lower, you're going to have strings rattling.

Unless you have a singer with an odd vocal range, I have no idea why anyone would tune like that. (except maybe just to be different)

[okcrum]

Originally Posted by Chasarms

I'd call the guy back before I messed with it.

The above is actually a higher tension tuning than standed as everything is up a full step except the B. If you set it up like that, and he wants standard or lower, you're going to have strings rattling.

Unless you have a singer with an odd vocal range, I have no idea why anyone would tune like that. (except maybe just to be different)

It's a pretty standard metal tuning. I think the top string is tuned to A, not G# tho.

[rockstarbassist]

Drop B on a 5'er would be F#-B-F#-B-E if you're stringing it low w/ a BEADG set, as it's a half-step down from GCGCF, Drop C.

[okcrum]

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

Drop B on a 5'er would be F#-B-F#-B-E if you're stringing it low w/ a BEADG set, as it's a half-step down from GCGCF, Drop C.

Ah OK, now I get it. Thanks.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by clmayhew

I believe it would be: B-F♯-B-E-G♯ if it's drop B. I believe standard B is B-E-A-D-G.

This is correct.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by rockstarbassist

Drop B on a 5'er would be F#-B-F#-B-E if you're stringing it low w/ a BEADG set, as it's a half-step down from GCGCF, Drop C.

Isn't that drop F#????

[Nomadskills]

Originally Posted by Burlington

Isn't that drop F#????

That's what I would have thought, but I'm easily confused...

[Burlington]

OP, read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dropped_B_tuning

[rockstarbassist]

Originally Posted by okcrum

Ah OK, now I get it. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Burlington

Isn't that drop F#????

Nope, because remember your low E will always be the point of reference. It gets confusing when you hit B, because for us 5'er players and baritone/7-string guitards, your low string is where you're now detuning your low E. But in order to keep in line w/ the tuning, your low B needs to match the other 4.
For instance if you did 1.5 steps down, you'd go: G#-C#-F#-B-E, and that isn't "G#" tuning, but "C# standard". The back of my NS5XL says so..

[rockstarbassist]

Originally Posted by Burlington

OP, read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dropped_B_tuning

Yup, but again that's for a 4. Like I said in my last post, it depends on what you wanna do. When you hit drop B, IMO you can either start with your lowest/5th string as the "B", or actually drop your E string down to a B as in "Drop B".
Clear as mud? There's no real "right" way to do it, but technically if you're in drop B on a 5'er, your low B would need to be F#.

[okcrum]

Originally Posted by Burlington

OP, read this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dropped_B_tuning

So the bass tuning is just mapping the guitar tuning, inc. the second highest tuned (normally B) guitar string?

EDIT: OK, nm, that's one possible tuning.

[Burlington]

Originally Posted by okcrum

So the bass tuning is just mapping the guitar tuning, inc. the second highest tuned (normally B) guitar string?

Correct- B-F♯-B-E-G♯